WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread and whole wheat bread increased in December, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.
The national average retail price of white pan bread was 138.5c, up 0.3c per lb from November but down 5.1c from December 2012. The increase followed an increase of 2.4c per lb in November. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread in December rose in two regions — up 2.7c in the Northeast and up 2.7c in the West — fell in one region — down 2.2c in the South — and held steady in one region — the Midwest.
At 207.6c per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was up 3.1c per lb from November and up 15.1c per lb from December 2012.
The national average price of family flour in December was 51.3c per lb, down 0.4c from November but up 1.3c from December 2012.
The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in December was 126.3c per lb, down 3.1c from November and down 4.9c from December 2012. Chocolate chip cookies were 349.2c per lb, down 28.9c from November and down 12.5c from December 2012. The national average price of white long-grain rice was 73.5c per lb, up 0.6c from November and up 2.1c from December 2012.